Volunteers gathered Monday morning to put hundreds of blue pinwheels on the courthouse lawn as symbols of child abuse prevention.
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and this week is the Week of the Young Child. In recognition of both, the Anson County Partnership for Children and the Anson County Domestic Violence Coalition teamed up to place about 1,000 blue pinwheels around the community.
More than 900 pinwheels were installed on the courthouse lawn, while others were given to county businesses to display along with a small sign explaining the significance of the pinwheel.
Prevent Child Abuse America began the pinwheel project in 2008, using it as a national symbol.
“What our research showed, and what our experiences since then have borne out, is that people respond to the pinwheel,” the organization says on its website. “By its very nature, the pinwheel connotes whimsy and childlike notions. In essence, it has come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.”
Prevent Child Abuse America teamed with Pinwheels for Prevention to spread the word about the national symbol.
Partnership volunteers also gave volunteers and supporters small blue ribbons to show their support for child abuse prevention. The ribbons are part of the Blue Ribbon for Kids Campaign.
According to the campaign, 30 children died from abuse in North Carolina last year and more than 100,000 in the state are reported as abused or neglected every year.
To learn more about Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, visit www.preventchildabusenc.org.
Information on the Anson County Partnership for Children can be found at ansonchildren.org, and information on the Anson County Domestic Violence Coalition can be found at www.acdvc.com.
Those concerned about the welfare of a child can call Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina at 1-800-354-KIDS.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.
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